Should I go to A&E?

The Accident and Emergency (A&E) department in our hospital gets very busy and we ask that you use it carefully. Please only come to A&E if you need immediate care for something that is very serious or life-threatening so that we can focus on patients who need it most.

Call 999

If you, or someone you are with, is seriously ill or injured and you feel their life is at risk, ring 999 as soon as you can to arrange an ambulance. The call operator will advise you.

If you are unsure whether you need A&E or if you are unwell but it’s not life-threatening, you can get still get medical help.

NHS 111

If you need urgent medical advice, which is not life-threatening, contact 111.

111 is the NHS non-emergency number. It’s fast, easy and free. Call 111 and speak to a highly trained adviser, supported by healthcare professionals. They will ask you a series of questions to assess your symptoms and immediately direct you to the best medical care for you and can give you health information and reassurance about what to do next.

Ask your local pharmacist for advice

Your pharmacist can give you advice for many illnesses, such as diarrhoea, minor infections, headaches, cold and flu, travel advice, rashes or sore throats. Some pharmacists can prescribe a range of medicines such as emergency contraceptive, flu vaccines and emergency supplies of your regular prescription if you run out. They usually have a private consultation room if you’d prefer to speak with them in private. Find your local pharmacist.

Speak to your own doctor

When you are unwell, you should make arrangements to see your GP. If you are not registered for a GP, you can find your nearest surgery and get advice on choosing a GP.

Urgent care centres

If you have a minor illness or injury and it cannot wait until your GP surgery is open, you can visit one of our two urgent care centres; based in Walsall town centre (Community Site) and also at Walsall Manor hospital (Hospital Site). Both centres provide fast, expert care for injuries and illnesses that are urgent but not life-threatening, including:

cuts, burns and bites

sprains, fractures and sports injuries

fevers, infections and rashes

minor illnesses.

What is an urgent care centre?

Urgent Care Centres are available for anyone who has an illness or injury that is not life-threatening but too urgent to wait for a routine appointment with their GP.

Our two centres are run by a team of highly-skilled GPs and Specialist Nurses, who are experienced at diagnosing and treating a wide range of minor injuries and illnesses. For example, they can treat sprains, burns, bites or stings, assess and treat wounds and request x-rays.

This service does not replace your own GP as we do not hold medical records for you and does not have the overall picture of your health. Please only use this service for non-routine emergency situations.

Dental care

Our A&E department does not offer an emergency or out of hours service. If you have problems with your teeth, you need to either contact your own dentist or NHS 111 for advice.